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Democratic Socialist Party of Rutania
Red|Seats1 Title = House of Representatives|Seats1 = |Website = www.DSP.rt|party_logo = |politics =Politics of Rutania |political parties =Political parties in Rutania |elections =Elections in Rutania}}The Democratic Socialist Party of Rutania (DSPR) is a political party in Rutania. A broad alliance of socialists and social democrats, the party was founded in November 3948 by a prominent group of trade unionists and various left-wing activist groups to oppose the National Brotherhood for Prosperity-led coalition's programme of privatisation and deregulation. The DSPR currently has 99 seats in the Rutanian People's Assembly. The DSPR was initially a member of New Left, an alliance of left-of-centre parties in the House, before switching to the reformed Rutanian Left. The DSPR left Rutanian Left in 4032. The DSPR is the founder of the Artanian Socialist Congress at regional level. Internationally, the DSPR is a member of the Socialist International. History The DSPR was formed on 3 November 3948 in the state of Delvar, by a group of trade union leaders unaffiliated to the Workers Front who felt the need for an alternative to that party, which despite being by far the largest party in the House of Representatives, had been kept from power by a right-wing coalition comprising the NBP, the Conservative Party, the Rutanian Monarchist Party, and the Libertarian Party. The DSPR was formed just before the November 3948 Rutanian Elections, and despite lacking a clear structure or manifesto, a last minute decision was made to register and stand candidates, with the main aim of raising awareness of the party. In line with expectations, the days-old party won no seats, and only 0.03% of the popular vote. In March 3949 the party elected the Aldwin Fletcher, a charismatic young Rail Workers' Union representative, as its leader, and with considerable funding from the trade unions, began to build a clear party structure and attract members. During 3949, the party garnered attention for the submission of several radical proposals, including the formation of a public service broadcaster, restrictions on gun ownership, and reform of schools, mostly attracting the support of the Workers Front and LCP. An early success was the surprise passing of the National Health Board Act proposed by the party, which passed when the bill, supported by the Workers Front and LCP, was unexpectedly supported by the RMP; this led to the creation of the National Health Board, a free universal healthcare provider funded through general taxation. The party also successfully introduced changes to arms export controls, with a bill proposing to give the House of Representatives the final say over all arms deals attracting support from both left and right. With the party still barely over a year old, early elections to the House of Representatives and the presidency were called for February 3950, and the party prepared to contest its second election. This time, the party's relatively strong presence in the state of Delvar led to the party's first seats, winning over 1.125 million or 9.1% of the vote in that state, and four of the state's fifty seats. The party failed to make the same breakthrough in Rutania's other four states, however, winning no seats in Ardinia, Bozarland, or Kragusrov, and only around 1.239 million votes (1.96%) nationally. The party did not put forward a candidate for the presidency, instead endorsing Sophie Malto, the victorious candidate of the Workers Front. Breakthrough and Coalition Governments of September 3955 - March 3957 and 3959 - 3960 The party's first significant electoral breakthrough was at the March 3955 general election, in which the party won 13.78% of the popular vote, and 35 of 250 seats in the House of Representatives. Later that year, the break-up of the National Brotherhood for Prosperity led to the collapse of the right-wing coalition. As a result, the left parties found themselves with a majority and, in a move that attracted widespread criticism, blocked calls for an early election, instead pressing ahead with the formation of a cabinet and a radical programme of government. The DSPR's therefore entered the cabinet for the first time, being the second largest of the three coalition partners (behind Solidarity Rutania and ahead of the Worker's Front); most notably, party leader Aldwin Fletcher became Minister for Foreign Affairs. The left coalition of 3955 was short-lived, as a coalition between the right-wing parties and the centrist Democratic Liberal Alliance Party won a majority in the subsequent election of March 3957. However, this coalition proved to be unstable, and the DSPR was instrumental in persuading the Democratic Liberal Alliance Party to cross the floor and support the formation of another left government, with DSPR as the third coalition party. Party leader Aldwin Fletcher was made Minister for Internal Affairs. Long Spell in Opposition 3960 - 4016 The elections of 3960 were to prove the beginning of a long spell in opposition for the DSPR and the left generally, beginning an unbroken 56-year period of right-wing governments of various stripes. One of the only high points of this period for the DSPR was when they became the largest party in Delvar in the 3969 elections, the first time had gained the largest vote share in any particular state. Later in this period, the party endured its worst results since its formation, winning just 2.97% of the vote in 3989 and 3.55% in 3981. It later emerged that the party had considered folding, or being absorbed by the Worker's Union during this time. It was, however, to prove a low-water mark for the party, which subsequently recovered its vote share. Aldwin Fletcher stepped down as leader of the party in 4000 due to ill health at the age 82, having led the party for 52 years since its formation in 3948. After a brief leadership contest, the party elected Harold Bracewell as party leader later that year. Five years later, the party joined the Rutanian Left presidential election pact with Reform! Rutania, the Worker's Union, and the Green Party, in which the left parties took turns in fielding presidential candidates endorsed by the pact in order to maximise the chances of a second-round left candidate, though in practice splits and abstentions did occur. The party also underwent a change in branding following Bracewell's election as leader, changing their old party logo (a simple adaptation of the logo of the Socialist International) for the circular crossed-tools design currently in use, which has its roots in the Rutanian labour movement. The party also added the R to their official acronym, reflecting common usage amongst the Rutanian population. De-facto Left Governments 4014 - 4019 ''' Fletcher's leadership of the party coincided with a general revival of the left in Rutania, culminating eventually in the first House of Representatives left majority in 56 years in 4014. The formation of a new left government was blocked however, by the Libertarian President Kayla Bush, and the parties therefore decided to force a fresh election the following year in an effort to win the Presidency. This effort ultimately failed, however, with the left winning a majority in the House of Representatives but again failing to win the Presidency. This constitutional roadblock was a product of a 3984 shift from a semi-presidential to a presidential system. The party achieved its then best-ever performance in 4016, taking 17.14% of the vote nationally and placing third for the first time. In addition, they came first in three states: Bozarland, Delvar, and Kragusrov. '''Current Members of the House of Representatives Ben Carter (Delvar), Jack Collinson (Delvar), Aldwin Fletcher (Delvar), Alison Frankland (Delvar) Category:Political parties in Rutania